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NASCAR, teams continue data collection on Day 3

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- As the final day of Preseason Thunder wrapped, there was certainly no shortage of information NASCAR and the teams gathered during this three-day test as speeds continued to stand close to the 200-mph mark.

Kasey Kahne led the morning session with a speed of 201.545 mph, with Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jimmie Johnson also posting times near the top of the charts.

Teams continued to collaborate with NASCAR throughout the day, in particular with the afternoon pack drafting session, to work toward the goal of reducing the ease of the tandem draft and making it an exception instead of the norm.

"Once we leave here, obviously there will be a lot of energy spent on looking through all of the data that we've collected this week," Sprint Cup Series director John Darby said. "Looking through lap times and speeds and watching film and footage. I would like to have the final rules package out as quickly as we can just to make sure the teams have enough time to react to everything."

Drivers and crew chiefs have been very positive regarding the test, the sharing of information and the adjustments being made by NASCAR.

"They're [NASCAR] definitely thinking ahead and doing a lot of research and development back at their shop," Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Darian Grubb said. "Just coming here with a pre-planned effort with some of the changes and things that they've already done has been a real positive. They've got the data being collected and have a good idea of what they want to do and what they want to accomplish. As they filter that out to us, we go out and hit the race track with it and see how that changes our cars."

"A.J. [Allmendinger] and I were able to log a lot of laps [Saturday] and I feel good about our package for the 500," Penske Racing driver Brad Keselowski said. "It's getting harder to perform the two-car draft so maybe we'll see some pack racing when we come back. I had a blast running in the pack [Saturday]."

The afternoon session kicked off with pack drafting for most teams. Top speed of the afternoon was 200.562 mph, posted by Gordon.

NASCAR officials were also pleased with the test and will be taking this data back to the Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., to assist in getting the final rules package together for next month's Daytona 500.

Preseason Thunder: Day 3

Morning Practice Speeds

Pos.

Driver

Time

Speed

Pos.

Driver

Time

Speed

2.

Jeff Gordon

44.655

201.545

17.

A.J. Allmendinger

47.013

191.436

3.

Kurt Busch

45.121

199.464

18.

Aric Almirola

47.056

191.261

4.

Mark Martin

45.122

199.459

19.

Joey Logano

47.102

191.075

5.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

45.134

199.406

20.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

47.176

190.775

6.

Jimmie Johnson

45.136

199.397

21.

Greg Biffle

47.188

190.726

7.

Jeff Burton

45.215

199.049

22.

Denny Hamlin

47.195

190.698

8.

Regan Smith

45.216

199.045

23.

Clint Bowyer

47.217

190.609

9.

Jamie McMurray

46.283

194.456

24.

Marcos Ambrose

47.260

190.436

10.

Juan Montoya

46.644

192.951

25.

Martin Truex Jr.

47.276

190.371

11.

Paul Menard

46.721

192.633

26.

Carl Edwards

47.317

190.206

12.

Danica Patrick

46.868

192.029

27.

Matt Kenseth

47.408

189.841

13.

Tony Stewart

46.904

191.881

28.

Brad Keselowski

47.534

189.338

14.

Kyle Busch

46.955

191.673

29.

Dave Blaney

47.739

188.525

15.

Trevor Bayne

46.967

191.624

30.

Joe Nemechek

47.855

188.068

Preseason Thunder: Day 3

Afternoon Practice Speeds

Pos.

Driver

Time

Speed

Pos.

Driver

Time

Speed

2.

A.J. Allmendinger

44.877

200.548

15.

Aric Almirola

45.446

198.037

3.

Brad Keselowski

44.877

200.548

16.

Greg Biffle

45.451

198.015

4.

Kasey Kahne

44.892

200.481

17.

Matt Kenseth

45.452

198.011

5.

Denny Hamlin

45.006

199.973

18.

Marcos Ambrose

45.488

197.854

6.

Joey Logano

45.007

199.969

19.

Carl Edwards

45.540

197.628

7.

Martin Truex Jr.

45.090

199.601

20.

Regan Smith

45.541

197.624

8.

Clint Bowyer

45.091

199.596

21.

Joe Nemechek

46.199

194.809

9.

Juan Montoya

45.190

199.159

22.

Jimmie Johnson

46.462

193.707

10.

Jamie McMurray

45.248

198.904

23.

Paul Menard

46.560

193.299

11.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

45.310

198.632

24.

Kevin Harvick

46.744

192.538

12.

Mark Martin

45.368

198.378

25.

Trevor Bayne

46.777

192.402

13.

Jeff Burton

45.378

198.334

26.

Trevor Bayne *

47.001

191.485

"We've had a good test and gained a lot of information," vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said. "We know that when we come out of here, there will be some loose ends we have to tie up as we get all of our information together and come up with our final plans for Speedweeks. I can say that all in all everything is going according to plan."

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